Sweet Like Revenge

21 - Pillow Talk

Matt's cabin was a lot bigger than mine was, which made sense considering he was bunking with the best players on the football team. Still, I couldn't help but think that the girls and I would have made much better use of the space, which included a private bathroom and two large vanity sets. To think, we'd been expected to share one mirror and do our makeup in compacts.

Matt led me to what I assumed was his bed, which was tucked in the corner of the generously-sized room. We were completely alone in the space, aside from an unconscious football player who snored in the bunk above Matt's, a vulgar cartoon of male anatomy scrawled onto the side of his face. At least I wasn't the only one who couldn't handle my liquor.

"Well, this has been long overdue." Matt laughed, then took a seat on the bed and motioned for me to do the same.

I smiled timidly, tucking a stray strand of bleached blonde hair behind my ear. Matt stared at me expectantly, but I wasn't quite sure of what it was that he wanted me to say.

"Where is it?" was all I could think of.

Matt blinked. "Where's what?"

"Your jacket?"The reason why I'm here. The reason why I need you.

Matt appraised me for a moment longer, before flashing me a brilliant, sparkling grin. "Straight to the point. Fair enough." He stood to rummage around in his suitcase that lay at the foot of his bed. "Shoot. I think I left it at the beer pong table. Do you mind waiting here for a sec?"

I nodded simply. Considering how weak and fuzzy I felt, staying put sounded like a good idea to me. Even the cheap camp mattress on Matt's bed was starting to look cozy.

"I'll be right back," he assured me. "Don't go wandering off again."

"I won't," I said, feeling the warm blankets beneath my fingertips. God, I wanted to sleep.

When I looked back up, Matt was gone. I shook my head and clamped my eyes together. How much time had passed? Every moment that night, every conversation, it was all fading together as one. I gave in to the temptation to lay down on the bed, the weight of my head far too heavy for the rest of my body to handle. This was not how I imagined this moment going.

Alongside the snoring of the sleeping boy above me, a new sound suddenly disrupted the peaceful quiet of the cabin. It started with soft buzzing, then a ping that I recognized as Matt's text tone. Sure enough, Matt had left his phone sitting on the bed beside me, and the screen was illuminated as message upon message came buzzing through.

Game over A, the first one read, followed by a wink emoji.

I bounded upright as I read the name that appeared on the screen next. Astor Black. Nah, he wrote. M&M always fumbles the ball. The guy can't close.

M&M. Matt Mitchell.

I flittered my eyes to the door, then back to Matt's phone. Although I may not have known a lot about relationships, I did know that reading my intended's messages was not an ideal way to start one. But I wasn't in Irvine to start a relationship. Not really.

I picked up the phone just as another message in the group chat popped up. Idk man. You really fucked this one.

Wrong, the first poster replied. M's fucking this one.

I felt as though I had walked in on the football team throwing jabs at each other in the locker room. Because that's essentially what I had done, albeit virtually.

I'm telling you, Astor's next text read, it's not over til the new girl sings.

My blood ran cold.